Sunday, September 12, 2010

Amazing High Protein Recipes and Jack3d Review

This post will include a few random goodies: two awesome high protein recipes, the best tasting casein protein powders, a new BCAA recommendation, and a review of Jack3d.

I'm a sucker for puddings and chocolate pudding with milk was probably one of the main contributors for my fatassitude when growing up. I could eat it all day. Still can. But it's not a great strategy for maintaining low body fat.

Fortunately, it's easy to make puddings with the right protein powder. You don't need to be a genius to understand that the main benefit of protein pudding vs regular pudding is far greater satiety and superior macronutrient profile. It's an awesome way to increase your protein intake if you're not into consuming pounds of meat on a daily basis. Requires minimal preparation, which is a plus if you're pressed for time. In my search for the best pudding-friendly protein powder, I went through several brands to find the best ones. Only a few made the cut.

Yes... I've been working my way through tub after tub looking for that perfect protein pudding powder.

Protein pudding basics

Should be a casein powder. Some milk protein isolates also work. Whey doesn't work at all. Mix powder and water (or milk) in a 1:1.25-1.5 ratio, meaning for each scoop of powder you take 1.25-1.5 scoops of water. Less water (i.e. 1.25) yields a thicker pudding and more water (i.e. 1.5) a smoother pudding. Put the bowl with the mixture the in fridge or freezer for 30 min to 2 hours depending on amount. If you put it in the freezer, it'll turn into an ice cream like concoction. This is the way I prefer to eat it.

You can add extras to the mixture: try berries, banana, raisins or cottage cheese, for example. Almonds are pretty awesome as well. Whipping cream on top tastes absolutely amazing on chocolate flavored puddings. After this I never want to hear about someone having trouble getting enough protein because this is so awesome you can eat it like candy.

Protein pudding is diet friendly as well and for extra satiety you can add some psyllium husk or xanthan gum to the mixture (careful with the amount or it won't taste very good).

Best brands for protein pudding

These are the cream of the crop if you want to make the best tasting protein puddings, ranked in order of preference.

Micellar Creme from Syntrax is absolutely amazing. By far the best tasting casein I've tried. Vanilla tastes like vanilla and chocolate like chocolate. Well, everything is relative of course, but I think this is as close to the real deal you can get with protein powders. Taste wise it's almost a tie between chocolate and vanilla but I think prefer chocolate.

Micellar Creme is Leangains certified.

Sloow Protein from Fairing, a domestic brand, is a great alternative to Micellar Creme for Swedes. The flavor you want to go for is Vanilla Ice Cream; very tasty and miles better than chocolate and wild berry (almost everyone I've talked to seem to prefer this flavor). Another very good option for Swedes: Double Pro from Eiselt, a milk protein isolate. Chocolate is by far the best flavor. Order from Svenskt Kosttillskott. Cheapest and fastest in my experience.

100% Casein Protein from Optimum Nutrition is good, especially when you consider the price. Flavor wise, there's a few interesting options. "Cookie dough" tastes surprisingly similar to real cookie dough in an artificial kind of way. Not bad at all. There's two different chocolate flavors but I wasn't too impressed with "Supreme Chocolate". "Creamy Vanilla" was great. I should note that Optimum Nutrition also has a very solid and tasty line of whey protein so if you're looking for that, definitely consider something from ON.

Honorable mention: Daniel Clough from Wannabebig sent me a snack pack a few weeks ago. Among the various supplements I found a little gem in At Large's very tasty protein blend (whey, casein, egg protein) Nitrean.

Unfortunately, Nitrean mixes too damn well to make a good protein pudding. However, if you're looking for a good protein blend to use for shakes, Nitrean is an excellent choice. It works very well for protein fluff as well.

Now this is some truly great stuff. Only 200 calories, tastes awesome and extremely satiating.

This recipe has been around on Swedish forums for some time. I didn't come up with it myself and I owe it to a guy named Fever for coming up with the original recipe and Andreaz for perfecting it. Andreaz was eating it like crazy on his latest contest prep and it was probably one of the reasons he felt this was his easiest diet ever. Wish I knew about this little gem a few years ago.

This is what you need:

~40 g protein powder. Works with: 100% Casein Protein , Nitrean, Sloow Protein and some whey protein brands (I've tried it with Syntrax Matrix). Unfortunately, I've not been able to make it work with Micellar Creme. Please let me know in comments when you find new brands this works with and I'll add them here.

200 g thawed and mashed berries: strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. Works best with strawberries or raspberries in my experience. Word on the street is it apparently also works with mashed bananas though I haven't tried it yet.

0.5 dl (or 1.7 ounces) skim milk. You can probably use water as well but I think skim milk will get you a better "fluff".

2. Use a mixer on the strongest setting and mix thoroughly for several minutes.

The concoction will expand or "fluff up" to several times its original size. After 8-9 minutes, it'll look like the picture below.

Serve and enjoy as it is or add some extras like cacao or sliced bananas.

It all comes out to about 225 kcal, 36 g protein, 21 g carbs and zero fat. You can also put it in the fridge for about 30 minutes and it'll resemble a creamy kind of sorbet.

If you plan on eating this on a regular basis, getting a standing good mixer with a bowl will be a nice time-saver in the long run. I'm using "Philips HR1565" which is about $80 or so. If you can't get a hold of that one, Sunbeam 2371 Mixmaster Stand Mixer, White seems like a good alternative. It's important that the mixer is strong (350 watts or more) and has a large enough bowl (3 liters or more).

New BCAA recommendation

I've been using Xtend from Scivation for my fasted training sessions ever since stores around here ran out of Purple Wraath a few months ago. Taste and effects wise, it's pretty much a toss-up between Xtend and Wraath. Price wise, Xtend can't be beaten. Flavor wise, Xtend is very agreeable and I prefer "Refreshing Watermelon". Check out the Leangains Guide to find out why you need BCAAs before fasted training sessions.

I've been trying a wide range of pre-workout supplements but I've never found something worth recommending. Some like the extra pump from NO Xplode and similar nitric oxide based supps, I just don't have any use for it.

I was pleasantly surprised by Jack3d. Besides the usual ingredients present in many pre-workout supplements, such as caffeine, creatine, arginine and beta-alanine, it contains 1,3-Dimethylamylamine also known as geranamine. This is a potent stimulant (as far as legal alternatives goes) and this is what provides the oomph in this product.

Apparently Geranamine is used as recreational drug in some circles and banned in a few countries. I wouldn't be surprised if we'll see more countries banning it soon as everything that is mildly effective seems to get a ban sooner or later. Shortly after I wrote the supplements guide, Meltdown and Clenbutrx both got banned in Sweden.

Anyway, being somewhat resistant to stims, I started off with the maximum recommended dosage the first time (three scoops). After 5-10 minutes, I could tell that it was working as I got an intense urge to do the dishes. During training, I didn't notice anything out of the norm besides a somewhat uncomfortable back pump after squatting. After training, I had to wait two hours before my appetite returned. I never have problems eating after training, especially not after fasted training, but the thought of food made me queasy. I also noticed some slightly panicky feelings at that point, the kind where you want to crawl out of your own skin. Nothing serious, but for those sensitive to CNS stimulants or prone to anxiety attacks, I would not recommend starting off with the highest dose like I did.

However, it seems tolerance develops and within a few days I could use the maximum recommended dosage without any side-effects. Unfortunately, the stimulant effect is also lessened.

In my experience, Jack3d is quite effective, but less so for the purpose it's advertised. I see its use mainly as an appetite suppressant or stimulant, much like ephedrine. The mechanism by which Jack3d exerts its effect is also similar to ephedrine in that it increases epinephrine/adrenaline, which in turn boosts lipolysis and leads to that "focused" feeling. Or that urge to do something, anything.

Either way you want to use it, as a pre-workout or motivational boost, or for appetite suppression, Jack3d works, which is why it ends up on my list of recommended, but certainly not essential, list of supplements.

By the way, I haven't found any studies to back the effectiveness of 1,3-dimethylamylamine for fat loss. If anyone knows of any human trials regarding its use for weight loss or improving cognition, alertness, or anything else for that matter, let me know. I always try to find some scientific backing for the supplements I recommend but I'm at a loss for this one.

P.S. I've fallen behind on my blogging schedule but will have another article up this upcoming week. This one will include some weight training and cardio guidelines that you absolutely need to know about.

145 comments:

Maybe people looking to extend their fast past their workout for a few hours will benefit from Jack3d pre and bcaas post until they're ready to break their fast later. I've had similar results with appetite suppression using jack3ed also.

Martin thank you for the great information, i myself like Beverly International they make a protein called Ultimate Muscle it works pretty well for puddings, very thick stuff i have had both choc and vanilla is awesome.

The cookies n cream has corn syrup in it and a few other chemicals havent tried it..

Are we supposed to take one dose before working out or follow the directions on the package? Because following the package that would be 4 scoops pre/durring and an additional 2 scoops afterwards. Is that overkill?

Reading this post was somewhat bittersweet, because all of these options look like highly delicious and effective combinations on the path toward physique gooals and maintenance of those achievements. Unfortunately as someone with a sensitivity to all things dairy (yippee for auto-immune responses!), I can't make use of these on any sort of regular basis. But occasionally after I can work in a small bit of dairy every few weeks (following a rotation-style diet where any dairy is usually left out for at least 4 weeks at a time). I'll be certain to give it a whirl the next time I decide to work some into the mix.

On a side note, I know that my girlfriend enjoys mixing various protein powders with Greek Yogurt and assorted other stuff (fruit, cacao, cinnamon, etc.) This appears to work very nicely for a pudding-style consistency, as well. It also makes whey more of an option in this regard for someone who happens to have a whey-only powder on hand. And this combo works well a post-training meal for her, too, oftentimes paired with a "side dish" featuring some quinoa, cinnamon, honey, and a touch of coconut milk.

In any event, thank you for sharing the post, even if my girlfriend will be the beneficiary of this on a regular base while laughing at me as I watch ;)

What do you think of Brad Pilon's claim that you only need 70 - 100g of protein per day to build muscle? You seem to reccomend a lot more. As both of you base your nutritional advice on solid, peer-reviewed research I am interested in your (seemingly) divergent conclusions.

Jack3d is quite potent. Like you I started off with 3 scoops...big mistake:p Felt like I couldn't stop moving around and got that nervous/jittery feeling. It sure works wonder for appetite suppression though. I'm surprised no one mentioned it before.

I've been taking Purple Wrath preworkout, and have noticed that it gives me a bit of a "buzz", not a caffeine buzz, but a sort of euphoric, alert feeling. Is that the beta alanine or the arginine (which isn't in Xtend)? Or is it just me? Purple Wrath still seems to provide more value for the cost/serving, since it has the additional alanine.

As for the "fluff", it works in a blender, too. Some of us have insecurities about using a mixer...

Martin, glad you enjoyed Xtend. I told you that it was solid and the flavoring was fantastic. If you ever have any Scivation questions let me know since I am a head rep for the company.

Our pre-workout Quake 10.0 will blow jacked out of the water, people who i have sent samples to (over 200+ samples and 20 logs on bodybuilding.com) have stated a PROLONGED focus effect that lasts for up to hours after their workout and into their feast where they still want to lift even while they are eating its that powerful for fasted training. Hands down the #1 pre-workout I have ever used. The pumps and energy are out of this world. You have to look into it.

Lemon Lime and Blue Raspberry will be favorites if you like watermelon (since its a sweet flavor) Grape and Apple are refreshing flavors.

Thanks again for all your help and all your articles. That fluff looks awesome. And Shit i am 5 days out from my show, but I cant have whey or dairy :(

Layzie, you are not lying. I was given two free samples of Quake and loved it. The flavor was as good as Jack3d, but the effects were much better. The focus and stimulant effects felt slightly more pronounced without the jitters, and somewhat inevitable crash. As soon as I see a good deal (I'm a broke law student) on a site for it, it is my next buyI used to take Jack3d, and loved it for the first two weeks. However, the effects diminished after continuous use (i.e. 3-4 times per week). I find it useful if I limit use to once a week.

Is Jack3d as strong as Meltdown? I bought Meltdown a few months ago per your recommendation but I found it was really too much for me. I'm sensitive to stims and only 115 lbs maybe that has something to do with it? I'm really just looking for something to deal with cravings and don't want to get TOO wired. Do you know any women who tried it? Looking forward to your answer and thanks for your amazing site!

Big Mike, you can find Xtend for 36$ for 90 servings, Quake for around 22-25$ for 40 servings, and Scivation Whey 10lbs for 56$ if you search at TOP SUPPLEMENTS ONLINE.

I dont know where you order from , but most stores will PRICEMATCH if you call or e-mail them with competitors who have cheaper prices. Make sure you do that, bodybuilding.com does (i do not know where you order).. This will save you great money.

Also on bodybuilding.com you can order 2 serving samples of Quake 10.0 for 1.50.. its so worth it to get a good taste of the effects from the product.

Fasted training has shown me that stims murder me 100x better when in that state and FURTHER away from food.

Do you have any thoughts on "ethyl ester" versions of BCAAs and/or arginine? The claims are that it is much more bioavailable and less harsh on the stomach.. Since I trust your supplement opinions thought I would ask if you knew of any reasons to (dis)believe that?

Layzie, I'm surprised you sent me a link to a supplement site that I was not aware of lol...very humbling. The price on the Quake is slightly below NutraP, but damn the Xtend is cheap. I will be picking up some of the Quake soon (fruit punch cause the other one didn't taste too good).

Martin, the protein fluff idea is great! I made some with skim milk, frozen mixed berries and Dymatize 12 Hour Protein (mix of whey, egg and casein, admittedly with some soy. Not enough to make me start purchasing high heels and handbags though). Anyways, this protein brand worked, I used the blueberry muffin flavor.

Tomorrow night I plan on trying Muscle Gauge Nutrition's Vanilla 100% Whey Protein. I will see how well that works out.

Mike,It's really a matter of calorie intake. At the end of the day, overdoing protein to reach your calorie goals is probably your best bet as opposed to fat or carb. I'm eating 1800-2000 calories right now, cutting bodyfat nicely, and I easily hit over 200 grams of protein and I only weigh 165-170 pounds. Yes, it's probably true that you only NEED that much protein to build muscle, but you need to fulfill your calorie goals regardless, so why not choose protein to do that.

Ciao, Martin! This is the wrong blog post to recommend this on, but I'm a lazy ass and I wanna ask you: Have you tried FatGripz? If you have, can we get a gear review on them? Just out of curiosity. I feel that they're awesome. Especially with chinups. Cheers!

I tried to make the fluffy stuff with ON's casein and blueberries in a blendtec total blender. It did not get fluffy at all... Then again, it's a guy who can't even get whipped cream whipped saying this. I guess I've got to try with a different food processor.

I'm going to purchase Scavation Xtend tomorrow. I am just wondering if one serving (2 scoops, 11.5 g) of the stuff is enough for fasted training? That's only 7.1 g of BCAAs. Should I increase it until I get the full 10 g of BCAAs you recommend? That's something I don't understand. Same with Purple Wraath. It probably even has less BCAAs per serving. Please elaborate on this.

This is what i consume regularily as a big part of my meal. It is also quite cost-effective! I save up quite some money buying large containers of casein which is pretty cheap compared to pounds of meat i'd need to get that much protein in .

Now eating 100+grams of protein in a single sitting is made very easy :)

The fluff looks interesting; going to try it out later. I've been baking/cooking treats with casein for a few months now. Never thought I'd be eating ice cream, cookies and cheesecake on my way to 8% bf.

Max, READ the Label on Scivation Xtend.Take 4 Scoops for Males During your workout3 Scoops for females during your workout

Price per serving its the cheapest BCAA formula on the market. What is also great is if you cannot get a meal right away just continue to dose 10g of BCAA's every 1.5-2 hours as martin reccomends to keep u anabolic until your first meal Post-Training (like he stated in early training)

As for Quake per 2 scoops2.5g of creatine250mg of Caffeine1g of Beta-Alaine

To Martin or anybody,I've tried to make the fluff twice and failed both times; sadly I've been using a standing mixer. I left it on high for as long as 30 minutes- I used the exact recipe and still it won't fluff up like Martin's. Mine just gets a little creamier but won't fluff.

I'm using a mixer with 350 watt and a 4 quart bowl. Anybody else have this problem? Does anyone have a solution?

Other than that, I just got my Jack3d and Xtend and I'm really excited to use them.

Hi Martin,I planned to post this once I'd read you changed from Purple Wraath to Xtend so I'm not trolling the Scivation rep who's posting about but from this thread: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=109032411 Purple Wraath seems to contain the more beneficial ingredients. Would its EAAs be THAT much less effective then BCAAs for fasted-training?Cheers,Conan

Mine fluffs even with whey protein. I use a blender, mix everything on lowest speed until it is well mixed. I keep it thick and turn it off and on not wanting to over heat it and mix in-between to mix it all up. Once all mixed up and it is starting to blend I will put it on high for just a Brief moment to fluff up. To much here kills it and makes it liquidity or heats it up.

I also add a splash of organic heavy whipping cream at times too, but isn't always needed.

Also it needs to be cold or made with some frozen stuff like berries, small amount of ice or frozen banana.

Throw in a small square or two of 80% coco bar chocolate at the end to make chocolate chip ice cream.

Yesterday I tried to make a Fluff and it didn't work... perhaps the raspberries have not been defrosted completely or the Casein I used did not do it's job, I will try again today whit a whey and completely defrosted raspberries.

I did the fluff as given by martin, without the berries, and i used 100% casein by ON vanilla, it took at least 10mins, and it was major " fluffed ", i added the berries after, I also tried doing the fluff with 2tbl cream cheese and a nob of pnut butter and it did not fluff up, perhaps the cream cheese and nut butter are to heavy it was more less a cheese cake thickness,

I used 2 scoops of ON, i added water till it was like a light pudding texture using a spoon to mix it

then fired up stand mixer once it got thicker i added a little more water to make it a little lighter texture, it took around 10 mins, i then folded in the berries after i had " fluff ", i did not use milk

For the german readers: Casein Protein from Body Attack also makes a great pudding. Came across the idea half a year ago. I recommend chocolate flavor though. I was fed up with vanilla pretty soon. Great additions are the calorie free chocolate, pancake or strawberry syrups from walden farms.

^^^I think a lot of the problems you guys are having are trouble creating the fluff are due to the mixer being used. I like to cook and bake (no homo) and using a strong enough mixer, with cold ingredients and the whisk attachment (don't know if anyone is using a paddle attachment) helps to increase the volume of the fluff to a greater degree.

I have made it with Muscle Gauge Ice Cream Whey and Dymatize 12 Hour Blueberry Muffin Casein; both came out perfect.

Megan, i did not STEAL the recipe. I simply put it was a recipe that could be UTILIZED towards a Scivation Lifestyle and their diet methods. That is NO way stealing, nor did it intend to be stealing. Scivation utilized high protein and fat diets with minimal carbs. If it can suit their lifestyle it would be an alternative to their dieiting. There is NO point in that post where i say it is MY recipe. I just said "A Recipe in the Works"

In the end anyone can utilize any of the recipes posted on this blog towards their daily diet, and its a way of expanding their diet. I posted a few of my recipes on here, but Martin also has about 30 more in his inbox that he asked for me to send to him.

There is no harm, nor is there any Stealing being involved. Its about sharing to the community and giving to others as others give to this site and to bodybuilding.com

I have nothing but respect for martin, his methods, and his clients, and their recipes. Always will and always have. I also sent Martin an E-mail about this. I think its just a false miscommunication in the end.

Sorry if you think I "Stole" the recipe, but it was simply implying it towards the Scivation Lifestyle as an Alternative. That is all it meant to be.

Thanks for the article and all round excellent blog. Raspberry flavored Milk protein smooth mixed well and tasted great http://www.myprotein.co.uk/products/milk_protein_smooth.

Out of curiosty martin have you ever cosidered bulking up to 220 to 230lbs? I peronally have always been intersested more in strength training than bodybuilding and would been fascinated to see how strong you could get considering how strong you already are at such low bodyfat levels.

Anyway thanks again and I completly understand if its not within your interests.

Bob, where did I say you STOLE the recipe? I said you took credit for it over on bodybuilding.com, which YOU DID. You implied that the picture was YOURS and then stated that you had made the fluff with Scivation strawberry whey and strawberries. Judging from your comments on here, I would assume that you didn't actually make it yourself. This type of thing falls in line with the definition of plagiarism, which I'm sure you are familiar with. The reason I pointed it out is because I respect Martin's hard work and his blog is a reflection of that. Also, how do you feel about the words in ALL CAPS? Kind of obnoxious when you consider the fact that we've all been taught to read for content.

I made the fluff successfully sans berries - but I used skim milk. So not completely without carbs. I used 1.5 scoops ON Casein, Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor. I started with 2 oz. skim milk, but ended up using 2.5-3 oz. Pretty good dessert.

Thanks for the recipe ideas. Another easy way to make a protein pudding is to take 2 scoops of protein powder and add to 1-1.5 cup of Yogurt. Mix it up. Generally it will be all clumps and looks terrible. Put it in the fridge overnight. When you come back in the morning -- perfectly blended pudding.

i believe jack3d is not good for healthy lifters because of the 1,3-dimethyl...

i almost bought some till i read this: http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?s=17e0c71583197b7681ec1974b3cff145&t=25521

the summary of which thread is in post #5 from Iron Addict:"I think when you fuck with your adrenals, you end up with fucked adrenals. In fact, I know that as fact given significant dosing and frequency.

To the people who can't get the Protein Fluff to work...it seems that Martin made a typo on the ingredients. He wrote that for 40g powder and 200g berries you need 1.7 ounces of skim milk, when you really need ~3.5 ounces (100ml) to make it work. I just used that amount for my first batch and it worked very well. I'm going to keep experimenting with the milk to see if more will produce a better whip. But until then, make sure you're adding enough milk!

It seems that what we're doing is the same thing as when you beat an egg white for say meringue (I Love MERINGUE!!! or as Martin know it "the devilish concoction on his cheesecake lol):http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_white#Stabilizing_egg_white_foam_for_culinary_purposes

So the receipe for getting a good foam is having a protein powder that mixed well with water.( for those of you affraid of the denaturation part in the article, unless you eat your meat raw, stop being hippies.)

Anyway I've experimented with using egg whites in the fluff.Works GREAT. I blended two egg whites till stiff peakes started to foam, then in a seperate bowl, blend a thin protein pudding type of mixture. Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice to both blends. Combine the blends and Voilà ! Protein fluff with 0 carbs!

Also adding sugar( sweetner, lactose, fructose, sucrose) seems to help the fluff, but other ingredients can "kill" the fluff if it makes the mixture too heavy.

I've also tried adding gelatin to the fluff, it makes it cheesecake like texture.

Oh and don't try cooking it, it will rise then fall to a flat horrible thing and leave you felling really stupid ;-)

I want to know how much slow-digesting protein would be efficient to last 16 hours. My dinner would be a whole container of cottage cheese (~400cal and 45g protein). Is that enough to last the 16 hours?

I am with Megan on this one. It is so obvious for the person who reads the post "new Scivation recipe in the works, SCIVATION FLUFF" would have no problem thinking that Scivation invented that stuff. Shame.

But then again, since Layzie is an old user of his IF method and he has shared many recipes with Mr. Berkhan, I guess he doesn't mind. And who knows, m/b if he won his upcomming BB show, he might give some credit to Mr. Berkhan's IF method, lol.

"What do you think of Brad Pilon's claim that you only need 70 - 100g of protein per day to build muscle?"

I disagree with pretty much everything in that book. Read an early draft of it, which Brad sent to me, and I told him that then as well. I haven't read the final copy so maybe he changed some stuff. But his protein recs are bullshit.

His protein book and Eat Stop Eat are like day and night in terms of quality. If you're gonna buy one book about protein, make sure it's Lyle McDonald's "The Protein Book". I've reviewed it here:

"Is Jack3d as strong as Meltdown? I bought Meltdown a few months ago per your recommendation but I found it was really too much for me. I'm sensitive to stims and only 115 lbs maybe that has something to do with it?"

I'd say Jack3d is just as "strong" as Meltdown in terms of stimulant effect, yes. Whether it has the same effects on metabolic rate as Meltdown is unknown. If you're sensitive to stims, just go with caffeine pills first and take it from there.

"Do you have any thoughts on "ethyl ester" versions of BCAAs and/or arginine? The claims are that it is much more bioavailable and less harsh on the stomach.. Since I trust your supplement opinions thought I would ask if you knew of any reasons to (dis)believe that?"

Those claims are widely exaggerated and I wouldn't fork out the extra cash for whatever miniscule theoretical benefit there'd be. And I wouldn't be so sure there's be any benefit either (i.e. look at regular casein vs hydrolysate, the former being superior).

"To the people who can't get the Protein Fluff to work...it seems that Martin made a typo on the ingredients. "

No, it wasn't a typo. Adding more milk makes it fluff up faster though.

Anon,

"My dinner would be a whole container of cottage cheese (~400cal and 45g protein). Is that enough to last the 16 hours?"

Maybe, depends on what you ate with it i.e. other macronutrients/fiber would slow it down. On it's own, 40 g casein (liquid) consumed in the fasted state (empty stomach) maintains protein balance for 7 hrs+.

I don't know what Mike's motives were for asking about paleo BCAAs, but I would really like to know of an effective BCAA supplement that isn't based on any milk proteins. I am still experimenting with it, but am finding that both casein and whey cause some unpleasant digestive side effects that you don't even want to hear about. Trust me! Straight leucine is hard to work with. It's bitter, and doesn't mix well. I have to put it in capsules, which is tedious.

@KristofferI have ordered from bodybuilding.com to Norway twice, and both times the shipment was stopped in customs and returned. You need to be very careful that none of the ingredients is on the registered drugs list, or exceeds the accepted dosage. http://www.lovdata.no/for/sf/ho/xo-20040520-0755.htmlhttp://www.lovdata.no/for/sf/ho/to-19991227-1565-0.htmlSince Bodybuilding.com is based outside Europe there are strict rules as to what can be imported, but order from inside Europe and there is no problems. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the protein pudding and protein fluff recipes! I have a question:

How long do those recipes keep? I've heard people say that protein denatures within the hour after being mixed with liquids, which I don't really believe, since both whey and casein come out of the cow in liquid form. :) I don't have any science on this though, do you know more?

I also found Jack3d to be quite strange over a longer period.That nervous, anxious feeling leaves a lot to be desired, especially when training in the mornings, then TRYING to go to work and actually concentrate on the tasks at hand.I'm think a simple coffee-shot pre-workout is a more effective stim if you 'really' need.

After almost 15 minutes, the end of the cable burnt. It was an extremely old B&D model. I am actually happy this happened because yesterday I bought a new cheap Philips "SEVEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY WATTS OF RAW MIXING POWER."

I was actually full when I finished my meal, but got hungry around 1/2 an hour later. Note that this does not mean that the meal won't keep u full, but ever since I have been on IF (around 2 weeks) I have been digesting my food extremely fast.

Sample of off day:3 slices cake1 whole bag o chips4 scoops ice cream1 small custardLunch ( rice +seafood)The protein fluff1 Whole pizza...Yes, basically on my of days I carb load with a bunch of fatening meals with low protein content. But digesting those food fast and not feel a stomache ache is refreshing.

Just don't forget not to drink a protein shake 2 hours B4 going to bed, or u will wake up drenched in a pool of sweat, at least that happens to me whenever I do that. Happened several times to me with MuscleMilk, Syntha6...etc.

Note: The last one actually reads "Martin broke my mixer" lol. Will try again today or tomorrow with my new mixer.Thanks Martin.http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/7971/123ok.jpghttp://img695.imageshack.us/img695/6804/456at.jpg

Martin--Quick question, hope you wouldn't mind answering. I'm 5'2 140 lb female trying to lose 15 pounds. If I restrict my calories to 900 per day would that be to low or according to what you write here the starvation mode is a myth. Since I'm small I don't require much calorie wise and it makes it hard to lose weight but very easy to gain, hence the steep calorie restriction. I follow a mostly Paleo diet, high in protein, low carb. Any advice?

OK, the mixer I bought was the one with one hook only, not 2. And even though It was 750W, the inside of the mixer felt hot after 5 minutes. I think that would be expected since the dough of this recipee becomes quite thick from adding such low volume of milk.The mix actually became kinda like sludge, but with carbs instead of fat (peanut butter)I will see If I'm gonna get another mixer with two hooks and report back what happens with me.

"Note: The last one actually reads "Martin broke my mixer" lol. Will try again today or tomorrow with my new mixer."

Hehe oops. Blame your old ass mixer.

Anon,

"Since I'm small I don't require much calorie wise and it makes it hard to lose weight but very easy to gain, hence the steep calorie restriction. I follow a mostly Paleo diet, high in protein, low carb. Any advice?"

Yeah, 900 kcal is awfully low even for a 140 lb female so you might reconsider that. At your weight, weight loss will be slow; aim for 2 lbs every 3rd week.

Light weight females tend to go for the usual -1-2 lbs/week which is unrealistic and only backfires due to the severe calorie restriction required to achieve such a rate of weekly weight loss.

Are you supposed to mix the protein pudding in a mixer? I tried mixing it with a spoon and the protein didn't entirely dissolve. With the addition of berries and cottage cheese it would get a bit hard to mix it with a spoon.

Tried Micellar Creme. While the consistency is great, the flavor is pretty bland and needs to be mixed to really have a strong identity. Go with the Optimum. Strong flavors, albeit a bit less sweet, but put a layer of sliced bananas on top and put the whole concoction in the freezer for 15 minutes and I can almost guarantee you'll love it.

I just tried the protein pudding with the 100% Casein Protein from Optimum Nutrition in Vanilla. I was pleasantly surprised! It is actually pretty tasty! Now, as soon as my strawberries thaw, I'll be trying the protein fluff. Thanks for the great recipe(s)!

I've been adding frozen berries to my protein puddings and mixing it for a few seconds. This makes a nice ice-creamy, frozen yogurt type consistency with out having to place it in the freezer. I guess I have no patience, but it works great!!

2. Continue mixing the strawberries and milk intill it fluffs up and all the strawberries is mixed. (Yes, you will get the "fluff" with only deep frozen strawberries and milk). No protein powder actually need to make it fluff up.

3. Add 40g protein powder whatever you want, and continue mix it for some mins. You'll see when it's done.

Havn't tried with bananas or other berries. I will try frozen bananas tomorrow and come back later to tell you how it went.

PS. My first try went really bad. I thawed the strawberries and smashed them, 0.5dl milk and 40g protein powder, but i didn't fluffed up at all. The thing is that the strawberries need to be DEEP FROZEN.

I'm a big fan of mixing Optimum Nutrition casein powder in with some 2% fat Fage Greek strained yogurt. I've used the chocolate flavor and it's fantastic tasting and really satiating, almost a chore to eat a cup. Might make a good ice cream pie filling once I figure out how to make a nice crust.

Martin, I was just reading these comments and saw the one you wrote to Anonymous back in Sept - 140 lb, 5'2" female trying to lose 15 lbs...I'm 5'2" female, was 128 lbs when I started leangains about 10 days ago. Now I'm down to 120.

My daily calories are generally around 1,000 - give or take - as I'm still trying to figure out how much I can eat and still lose fat without being hungry all of the time.

I think my rapid loss was a lot of water weight, though I hope I'm also burning fat. I feel great and look thinner. I have no idea what my ideal "lean" weight will be, but I can't wait to find out!

I guess I'm shooting more for a lean look and then I'll see what weight follows - 110? 115?

No real question here, just wanted to let you know that there are other women out here who are big fans of yours and to thank you for being so generous with your knowledge.

@ Danne: BEST. ADVICE. EVER. i had literally given up on making this stuff......I think I had failed about 10 times before I came across your advice to use the deep frozen strawberries. It took some playing with, but I finally got it right. Thank you Danne!

Protein fluff makes me look 5 months pregnant. I think it's all the air that makes it that light, whipped consistency. :( No more for me.

I make protein ice cream. Process 8 large frozen strawberries and 1 cup crushed ice. In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 1 scoop protein powder, and sweetener (I use stevia). Add to processor. Continue processing until well mixed. The consistency is between soft serve and regular ice cream. And I don't bloat up like a balloon.

Protein fluff is truly some great stuff, but I have only one problem with it. It makes me burp like crazy later on.

What works really well for me is to use a scoop of casein in a cup of hot tea as a creamer/sweetener substitute. Tastes amazing, no burping, keeps me hydrated, and I can even make it in the office (which I couldn't with fluff).

Firstly, your site has been an absolute godsend for me! Awesome progress over the last couple months following your protocol so thank you!

Secondly, just thought i'd mention a protein i'd been using for some desserts i've made up, 2 scoops of nutrisport 90+ in chocolate, mixed with skimmed milk to a standard shake sort of thickness and then microwaved for a minute and a half, stirred every 30 secs makes a really nice hot pudding.Also, 2 scoops with skimmed milk made up quite thick, then frozen for around 2.5 hours, makes an amazing ice cream with a slightly fudgie centre that's really filling!

Hope the recipes prove useful and thanks again for some quality guidance!

OK I have just had my first success with banana fluff. I have made fluff before with banana berry combo but never just banana. 150g of banana chopped up and frozen the night before. Place in bowl with 100ml lo cold milk and 40g of cookie and cream muscle milk (casein,whey blend). Leave blender on lowest setting to mix all together first. Once mixed, let rip on full power. Fluffed up a dream. Fruit has to be frozen. I want to try figs next. I also add my creatine and inositol to the mix so I don't have to drink them.

After a few failed attempts, I just made some fluff with about 125g frozen mixed berries, about 1/3 cup milk, and one scoop chocolate Muscle Feast casein powder. The frozen berries sat in the milk for probably about five minutes then I started to mix them slowly with a hand mixer, then progressed to full power. I made a "U" motion to try to get some air in and it was a great success.

Anyone else feel completely full before they get half way through a bowl of fluff? I'm using 4 cups berries/strawberries, 50 g casein, and water as needed (to get the blender to suck down the berries before I add them to the mixer for the fluff). I normally can out eat a mule, and have been known to put down whole pizzas in a sitting without batting an eye, but the fluff seems to sit like a brick at the top of my stomach.

I never used casein protein before, and don't eat any dairy (outside of whey protein)...could this be why? I love the stuff but can't seem to make it more than half a bowl into it. Any thoughts?

An aside, I don't know about Jack3D, but OxyElitePro is awesome stuff, made by the same company. Very smooth energy (not jittery caffeine jolts like with other thermogenics products). I imagine this holds true here as well, as they have a high level of quality.

Berries and water blended in a blender first til its like an icy concoction. I add the water as necessary to facilitate the blending. Then mix that in the mixer bowl with the protein powder on high (got the mixer he recommends - or a similar Sunbema model - at Target for about $70) for say 7-10 minutes.

1 sachet of sugar free jelly (any flavour) left in fridge overnight to set = 8 cals.In morning cover set jelly in protein pudding (2 scoops of powder to 1 scoop milk) Leave in fridge, go to work.Squirt cream on top and sugar free maple syrup.This thing weighs a kilo and the calories come in at 300 with 35g protein and 2g carbs. An absolute monster of a desert with low calories.

I just got protein fluff to work for the first time, yay! It's soooo good.

I've tried once or twice before, but with no success, using both chocolate and vanilla EAS Whey Protein, and ended up with a gross dense mess both times. However, this time I did it slightly differently. I had read that you could whip egg whites into meringue and then add the protein powder, so I whipped up three egg whites to soft peaks and added 1 scoop of whey. The meringue collapsed, so I added another scoop of protein, thinking that maybe it would whip up if the mixture was thicker. This was also a failure and I was left with a soupy protein sludge. Rather than admit defeat and throw it out, I added 200g of frozen raspberries. To my surprise it quickly whipped up into a thick and delicious protein fluff.

So if your protein mix isn't working, try adding a few egg whites before giving up.

ok so my comment doesnt exactly pertain to this page but i was wondering if youve had people do 24 hour fasts 2 days a week and your fasting schedule on the rest of the days? i like the 24 hour method but i also love lifting weights and i want to lose a lot of fat im 16 5'5 160lbs and i just really want my body to get back to how it was when i was obsessive without having to be obsessive again and IF seems like the way to do it

1)plain greek yogurt- 1 cup (use plain because lo-carbs and u can get non-fat and most have about 22g of protein)2)Casein protein- 1 scoop (30g, I use strawberry coconut from true protein)3)Whey protein- 1 scoop (30g, I prefer vanilla)

Mix all of that together well until it is creamy, if your casein won't mix well i use an ounce of vanilla almond milk. Then i usually put a handful of berries on top and mix them in.

I'm using using 200 g of Strawberries, 40 g of 100% Casein Protein Powder, and 100 ml of whole milk and it is not working for me. I opted to use more milk because it was stated earlier that more milk tends to make it fluff faster. I previously used the quantity of milk that the recipe called for.

For those of you who got the fluff recipe to work:

(1) Do the berries really have to be frozen for the recipe to work? Because Martin's initial recipe didn't call for "frozen" recipes, and I don't understand how "frozen" fruit can make the texture "fluff up".

(2) How much time did you keep the mixture in a food processor/mixer? I'm averaging about 6-7 minutes with no results.

(3) How important is it to use a 350 W stand up mixer? I have a 1110 W food processor and a 250 W hand mixer and it hasn't worked for me. I've read comments from others who have not used a stand up 350 W mixer and it worked.

Thanks to anyone who can help. I feel like I've already gone out and spent enough money on protein powder and a mixer just to make one recipe and it's annoying that it's not working....